Rep. Frank says Dems improved economy

BOARDMAN — The federal stimulus package preserved jobs and made the economy better than it would have been without the program, said U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, keynote speaker at tonight’s Mahoning County Democratic Party fundraiser.

Speaking at a press conference before the $500-a-plate dinner at Mr. Anthony’s, Frank said were it not for policies passed by the Democrats, including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, unemployment would be higher, and the banking industry would be in worse trouble.

“Our Republican friends want to return to their policies of no regulation of the financial institutions and massive tax cuts that got the economy in trouble in the first place. And when President Barack Obama took

office, they resisted polices to make things better,” said Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and a Democrat from Massachusetts.

Frank acknowledged the Republicans are seeing some political benefit from their opposition and the slowness of the economic recovery.

To counteract that, he said Democrats just have to get their story out about the policies adopted late in 2008 and since President Obama took office that have helped “mitigate the effects of the worst economy since the Great Depression.”

For the complete story, see Friday's Vindicator and Vindy.com